CSOs query board on Balaka water crisis
Civil society organisations (CSOs) in Balaka on Tuesday asked Southern Region Water Board (SRWB) offices demanding an update on efforts to ease water supply challenges in the district.
Speaking after meeting SRWB officials, Balaka CSOs chairperson Ishmael Maulidi described the pace of progress on the emergency borehole drilling works at Kapalamula and Chitseko sites as a mockery to the people of the district.
“We are not satisfied with the progress and the explanation because nothing has changed since we last visited the sites.
“Although the boreholes were drilled, laying of pipes, fitting of water pumps, wiring the pump houses and buying of electrical equipment have not been done. Yet, SRWB says by mid-November the works will be through,” he said.
SRWB spokesperson Rita Makwangwala said 80 percent of the work has been done and attributed the delays to changes in project designs.
She said government is working on a new scheme to pump water from Shire River and supply it to Balaka and Liwonde.
However, the project contractor, Foundation for Irrigation and Sustainable Development (Fisd) site engineer Omega James said the delay is because the supplier of pipes gave them wrong materials.
Water supply challenges in Balaka started due to the dwindling levels of water in Mpira Dam in Ntcheu, the main source of piped water to the district.
